Ethical Issues
A formal document outlining guiding principles, core values, and behavioral standards intended to promote honesty, integrity, and accountability within an organization or profession.
What is Code of Ethics?
The moral principle of treating individuals fairly, impartially, and reasonably, ensuring everyone receives their due according to merit, need, or law, and fair in distribution of benefits and risks. It requires all individuals be treated equally.
What is Justice?
A core principle of the Belmont Report that obligates researchers to secure the well-being of subjects by maximizing potential benefits while minimizing risks. Researchers must carefully balance risks against potential benefits.
What is Beneficence?
The number of Social Determinants of Health (using our in-class definition).
What is Five?
The federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. It works in partnership with the entire health care community to improve quality, equity and outcomes in the health care system.
What is CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)?
An advisory body whose purpose is to facilitate discussion and consultation on ethical issues arising in the patient care setting.
What is an Ethics Committee?
The right or condition of self-government (e.g., to make personal medical decisions).
What is Autonomy?
A civil wrong—other than a breach of contract—that causes harm to a person or property, allowing the injured party to seek compensation. It aims to compensate victims, deter future harm, and punish wrongful acts. Types include intentional (e.g., battery), negligence (e.g., car accidents), and strict liability.
What is a Tort?
These are the three branches of the US Federal Government.
What are the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive?
Social and Community Context, Healthcare Access and Quality, Economic Stability, Education Access and Quality, and Neighborhood and Built Environment.
What are the Social Determinants of Health?
A complex decision-making situation where two or more moral principles conflict, making it impossible to uphold one without violating another. Often a choice between two "right" options rather than clear-cut right versus wrong.
What is an Ethical Dilemma?
Self-employed professionals—such as locum tenens physicians, nurse practitioners, or therapists—who provide services to facilities without being employees. They offer specialized skills, are paid higher hourly rates, and control their schedules, but do not receive benefits like health insurance or paid leave.
What is an Independent Contractor?
A legal and ethical obligation requiring individuals (trustees, employers, or providers) to act solely in the best interest of patients or health plan participants. It demands prudence, loyalty, and transparency in managing care, finances, and administrative decisions.
What is Fiduciary responsibility?
100 of these elected officials (2 per state) serve six-year terms as part of the legislative branch of the federal government. They are responsible for proposing, drafting, and voting on legislation, and confirming presidential nominees.
Who are United States Senators?
True or False: Equity and Equality are the same thing.
What is False?
When a healthcare professional deviates from the accepted standard of care, causing injury or death to a patient. Common types include surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and medication errors.
What is Malpractice?
A legal doctrine holding companies liable for failing to exercise reasonable care in their operations, resulting in harm to individuals or the public.
This doctrine asserts that hospitals and other healthcare businesses are responsible for: hiring safe staff, employees, doctors, surgeons and other workers and ensuring they are properly trained and competent; implementing safety and care policies protecting the well-being of patients and guests; and providing a safe and clean environment.
What is Corporate Negligence?
A Latin phrase meaning "let the master answer". It is a legal doctrine holding employers vicariously liable for the negligent, wrongful acts of employees committed within the scope of their employment.
The act must occur while the employee is doing their job or work incidental to it, such as a delivery driver causing an accident while making deliveries.
What is Respondeat Superior?
The year the Patient Self-Determination Act was passed.
What is 1990?
Systemic, unfair differences due to socioeconomic
and policy barriers (e.g., lack of healthcare access in low-income areas).
What are Health Inequities?
A foundational medical ethical principle, often associated with Hippocrates, asserting that if an intervention risks more harm than good, it is better to do nothing. It mandates prioritizing patient well-being, avoiding negligent harm, and ensuring potential benefits outweigh risks.
What is "First, do no harm" (primum non nocere)?
The ethical principle of "doing no harm," requiring individuals to refrain from actions that cause injury, pain, or suffering to others. In healthcare, it obliges professionals to minimize risks, avoid negligent care, and balance potential benefits against burdens.
What is Nonmaleficence?
A Latin term meaning "beyond the powers," referring to actions taken by a government body, corporation, or official that exceed their legal authority or scope of power.
What is Ultra Vires?
The year that the Tuskegee Syphilis Study began.
What is 1932?
The legal term for an intentional, improper, or illegal act that causes harm.
What is Malfeasance?